Tools For Drawing Media

Unless you’re an exceptional artist, you will probably need erasers for your drawings. One of the best things about drawing media is that you need very few accessories. Two essential tools in any artist’s tool kit are erasers and fixatives. All the drawing aids I describe here are all easily purchased and inexpensive.

Erasers

Erasers are not only useful for getting rid of unwanted marks, they can also be a useful tool in their own right, drawing lighter marks into darker expanses or creating interesting effects. They can be used for smudging or blending tones, adding highlights, and drawing defined edges. 

Kneadable erasers are considered by most artists as the best choice. These erasers are malleable; they can be broken off into smaller pieces and rolled to a point to work with details. They’re also good at absorbing pigment and can be folded in to create a cleaner area. Use it on soft graphite, charcoal or pastel drawing, both to erase and to create highlights.

Gum erasers crumble easily, so they don’t damage paper. They’re also good for using with charcoal and granite.

Vinyl erasers remove most mediums, but their firmness can be damaging to thinner paper.

Sand erasers have an abrasive in them; one side can erase ink, the other pencil. Their abrasiveness can also be damaging to paper.

Fixatives

I have address fixative in a previous post so, I won’t go into a lot of detail. There are two types of fixatives: workable and permanent. Available in spray form, they are made up of fast-drying solutions of colorless acrylic or vinyl resin in a solvent, such as alcohol, that bond the particles to the paper. They have a low resin content that helps preserve the detail of dry media such as pastel, graphite, and charcoal. Most fixatives are acid-free and archival. Always use fixatives in well-ventilated areas or outside, ideally with a mask.

Paper Blending Stumps

Paper stumps, or torchons, actually come in two variations. The longer, thinner stumps are called paper blending sticks, while the shorter, thicker stumps are known as tortillons. These are used for blending or shading. They are made of tightly rolled paper, with tapered ends for working on large ares, or a sharp point for small details. 

Knives and Sharpeners

For most sketching, a standard sharpener will do. Many artists prefer to use a sharp craft knife or penknife for sharpening pencils and cutting paper. Another way to sharpen is with a sandpaper block. These are usually made of fine and coarse sandpaper sheets that are small and can be torn off easily. In addition to sharpening pencil, it can be used to sharpen charcoal and chalk, as well as paper stumps. 

All of these items should be in your drawing tool kit. 

And, as always, happy drawing!